Colombian authorities arrest 2 politicians and 33 ‘Urabeños’ on drug trafficking charges
Colombian authorities arrest 2 politicians and 33 ‘Urabeños’ on drug trafficking charges
Posted by Talor Gruenwald on Jun 4, 2015
Thirty-five alleged members of “Los Urabeños“, Colombia’s most powerful neo-paramilitary drug trafficking organization, were arrested on Thursday. Among the detainees were two local politicians. The head of the group’s operations in the Caribbean port city of Cartagena, “Pichi”, was also detained, delivering a significant blow to the organization, authorities said.
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Two aspiring politicians who hoped to get elected to the council and mayoralty of the municipality Tuchin in the Cordoba province were also arrested, on charges they have links to the Urabeños.
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One of the politicians ran a health insurance company and allegedly helped steer nearly $400,000 to the criminal organization.
“Los Urabeños” are known for using extortion, narco trafficking, and homicide as a means of sustaining their organization.
More:
http://colombiareports.com/colombian-authorities-arrest-2-politicians-and-33-urabenos-on-drug-trafficking-charges/
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"Pichi" [/center]
"Pichi" story:
'Colombian drug lord' alias Pichi arrested in Panama
10 February 2013
A Colombian man suspected of leading a drug cartel in the city of Medellin has been arrested in neighbouring Panama. The man, known as Pichi, was arrested in a joint operation by the Panamanian and Colombian police. His real name as not yet been released. He is accused of leading a drug gang known as The Office and is suspected of ordering the murder of nine people in the city of Medellin last December.
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'Murderous gang'
He is also wanted in connection with the murder of two counter-narcotics police officers in Medellin.
Sergio Castro and Franklin Moreno, who had been investigating The Office, were shot dead in Medellin in July 2012.
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos congratulated the police on alias Pichi's arrest via his Twitter account. "A good hit", the president tweeted. He also thanked Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli for his country's help in the arrest in the capital, Panama City.
Alias Pichi is suspected of having taken over the leadership of The Office after the arrest in August of the gang's previous leader, alias Sebastian. At the time, Colombian Defence Minister, Juan Carlos Pinzon, said the gang had "killed more people than any other criminal network in Colombia in the last 10 years".
More:
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-21405849
